A dense forest stretched for miles, and the vast green ins seemed endless.
At the bay, houses were clustered around a towering castle. Although it wasn’t as prosperous as the Yte countries, it already looked like a medieval metropolis.
The Northern Grand Duchy, Winterfort.
As the northernmost capital of the Myria countries, it wasn’t as cold as many believed. On the contrary, being close to the coast and influenced by the warm currents of the Star-Moon Sea, it had a rtively mild and humid climate.
However, due to its hightitude, the winters were long, which gave the city its name.
On the bustling streets, tall and sturdy Isaac cavalrymen stood proudly on both sides, escorting the delegation from Castell, attracting curious nces from the surrounding residents.
At the front of the group, a rugged-looking,vishly dressed northern nobleman rode a tall horse, chatting andughing with a handsome elf riding beside him.
“Sir Sebastian, I’ve long heard of your name. Even when I was a child, I’d heard tales of the ‘Crimson de’ who roamed the Eastern Yteds. I never imagined you’d be an advisor to the Countess of Castell!
Wee to Winterfort! Please, consider this your home! My elder brother has already prepared a sumptuous banquet in the castle, eagerly awaiting your arrival along with Lady Lottie!”“Marquis, you’re too kind. I remember thest time I came here, this was just a vige on the edge of a swamp. I never imagined it would be such a bustling city in just a hundred years.”
“Hahaha, Sir Sebastian, a hundred years is just a blink of an eye for someone like you, but for us humans, it’s already four or five generations!”
“To build such a city in just four or five generations is already a remarkable achievement.”
“Hahahahaha…”
The two chatted amicably, the atmosphere very cordial.
Sebastian maintained an elegant and appropriate smile, but his thoughts were already drifting.
Marquis dimir, abat mage of the zing Sun tier, was also the younger brother of the current Northern Archduke, Stefan Sobieski, making him the second most powerful person in the North.
Sending such a high-ranking royal noble to greet the delegation from Castell clearly showed the importance the Archduke ced on this visit.
Thinking of this, Sebastian couldn’t help but examine the Marquis’ attire.
Fine silk, beautiful embroidery, typical Yte noble clothing, but more luxurious and mboyant.
Not only that, he wore a lot of jewelry, making him look particrly ostentatious.
This was probably a tradition of the northern people who loved essories, but to the elves and Yte people, it seemed a bit exaggerated.
Clearly, as the rumors said, the unified Northern Grand Duchy greatly admired the culture of the Yte countries.
This outfit and the awkwardly entedmon tongue of Yte all proved that Archduke Stefan was indeed promoting “Yte-ization.”
It wasn’t just Marquis dimir. Everywhere in Winterfort, one could see traces of Yte culture.
With a single nce, Sebastian could see manymoners and nobles dressed in Yte clothing, bustling Yte shops, and even the architectural style of Winterfort had some of Yte’s pointed arches and domes. ?????ó??ΕS?
This… was probably the admiration and emtion of advanced culture by the less developed one?
Sebastian mused to himself.
Just a hundred years ago, the northern people were still a loose alliance of tribes, either hunters and herders or pirates and bandits. Continuous wars were the main theme of thisnd.
But now, all that had ended with the unification of the North.
This even reminded Sebastian of when the elves first set foot on the Myria continent.
Perhaps… at that time, humans learned from elves just as the northern people were learning from the Yte people now?
Except, one was the admiration of a less developed culture for a more advanced one, while the other was the enlightenment of a primitive civilization by an advanced one.
Thinking of this, Sebastian nced again at the Marquis before him.
He was quite familiar with the history of the North.
If one were to ask who the key figures were in ending the North’s division, it would undoubtedly be the Sobieski family to which this northern noble belonged.
Perhaps blessed by the Gods, the Sobieski family had produced three wise leaders in a hundred years, finally achieving the great task of unifying the North.
And now, the young Northern Archduke, Stefan Sobieski, had surpassed his father and grandfather, not only bringing advanced knowledge and culture from the South to the North but also aiming to unify religion and ideology.
It was for this reason that the Castell family’s visit was finally facilitated.
For Sebastian, his original intention was just to seize the opportunity to spread his faith in the North while seeking the support of the Northern Grand Duchy in Starfall’s throne conflict.
Of course, now that Her Majesty the True Ancestor had awakened from her slumber and her power had further advanced, seeking aid seemed less important, merely an icing on the cake.
However, aside from spreading his faith, he now had a new task.
Thinking of this, Sebastian’s gaze fell on the residents curiously watching the delegation. He asked casually.
“By the way, I’ve heard that there are still many tribes in the North that worship totems, ancestors, or even legends?”N?v(el)B\\jnn
Hearing Sebastian’s words, Marquis dimir snorted disdainfully.
“Hmph, just a bunch of stubborn fools who ce their hopes on something intangible, forgetting their reverence for the true Gods!”
He then made a clumsy sign of the Holy Court on his chest and smiled at Sebastian.
“Forgive me, Sir Sebastian, only a revered holy believer like you can bring the teachings of the Gods to our spiritually barren North.”
Recalling the other’s behavior along the way, Sebastian pursed his lips and then apologized.
“I’m sorry, Marquis, there’s something I must confess. I am not a believer of the Holy Court. This delegation was personally appointed by my lord and did not receive instructions from the Holy Court or the Crescent Diocese.”
Marquis dimir was stunned.
He looked at Sebastian again, seeing his sincere expression, and awkwardlyughed.
“Cough… no matter, actually, I’ve just recently converted to the Great God myself. No worries. In fact, it’s better without the instructions from the Holy Court or the Diocese. Hahaha, don’t worry about it. If we really wanted to invite bishops from the Holy Court or Diocese to preach God’s glory, my brother would have already written to the Pope of the Holy Court.”
Seeing such a reaction, Sebastian understood.
Indeed, as Her Majesty the True Ancestor had predicted, the Northern Archduke didn’t genuinely intend to spread the Holy Court’s faith across the North.
He merely wanted to unify the North’s ideology while conveniently choosing the Holy Court, which had the least influence in the North but was the most powerful and the most convenient for the North to integrate into the southern world.
“Um… Sir Sebastian, if you don’t believe in the Holy Court, why do you follow Countess Castell? Do you… still believe in the Moon Goddess?”
Marquis dimir asked curiously.
Sebastian’s eyes flickered. He pondered for a moment, about to answer, when suddenly there was amotion at the front of the convoy.
The procession halted immediately, and Marquis dimir frowned, displeased.
“What’s going on? Why have we stopped?”
Soon, a tall Isaac cavalryman came to report.
“Marquis, it’s some children from the tribes causing trouble up ahead.”
“Which tribe?”
Marquis dimir’s expression turned sour.
“It seems to be the Forest Tribe that has converted and the Free Alliance from across the strait.”
The Isaac cavalryman replied.
“Free Alliance? Them again? Those faithless scoundrels! Truly a bunch of uncivilized fools!”
Marquis dimir cursed.
He then bowed apologetically to Sebastian.
“Apologies, Sir Sebastian, it’s just a bunch of uncivilized savages in the North. I’ll have them driven away immediately!”
With that, he dismounted and walked forward.
Free Alliance?
Sebastian was intrigued.
He pondered for a moment and also dismounted.